Ever wonder what the smallest possible payroll is? You couldn't field a major league team for less than $10MM this year, because the major league minimum is $400K. Players with at least one day of service time and players who have been on the 40-man roster for two or more years make at least $65K, even if they're in the minor leagues. Minimum salaries at the major and minor league level increase regularly to account for the cost of living, but do not decrease, even if the cost of living drops.
This MLBTR Glossary entry relies on information from Cot's Baseball Contracts and the current collective bargaining agreement. It was originally published on August 4th, 2009.
